Eventing legend Tina Cook dinner has known as time on her elite-level profession, after her medal-winning trip Billy The Purple was put down aged 15.
Tina, who has three Olympic medals to her title, in addition to being European champion, and profitable world crew golds and silver and European crew gold, advised H&H it’s “the top of an period”. She is going to proceed to provide younger horses, and compete as much as three-star stage, but additionally help her daughter Isabelle, now 17, who occasions, and her 15-year-old son Harry, who’re her essential precedence now.
“I’ve had a wonderful profession,” Tina advised H&H. “There may be extra I’d prefer to win! However I’ve been in a position to be aggressive, and purpose for British groups, for the previous 30 years, and I’ve produced and ridden many fantastic horses.”
Tina needed to say goodbye to Billy The Purple, with whom she received European crew gold in 2017, ending fourth individually, and crew silver in 2019, and was travelling reserve for the 2016 Olympics.
“It was extremely unhappy,” she stated, thanking Billy’s homeowners Elisabeth Murdoch and Keith Tyson for his or her help. “He was difficult, a vivid, sharp little horse who gave me a lot.”
Tina stated Billy had competed at Pau final 12 months, after an damage he sustained a 12 months or so earlier than, however was unlevel earlier than Badminton this 12 months. She turned him out however realised he wouldn’t have loved a snug retirement.
“He was a humorous little horse with a pointy, spooky mind – by no means nasty however I quickly learnt to trip him on his phrases,” she stated. “He had a lot pure capacity and an important method; he had a brief fuse however I discovered the easiest way was to work with him, then he gave me a lot. He’d leap something and the whole lot, and on the final day he had an incredible document of showjumping clears.
“I took the choice that was proper for the horse. I get so connected to my horses; it was so unhappy but when they will’t have a contented retirement, it’s a must to do what’s proper by the horse. And similtaneously asserting that, I believed perhaps now’s the time to say what’s most likely going to occur.”
Tina defined that Billy was her solely top-level horse, and that there was a spot between him and her youthful rides. She additionally needs to spend extra time supporting Harry – she enjoys watching him play rugby at weekends – and Isabelle, who received junior European crew gold and particular person silver this summer season on the homebred Mexican Legislation.
“Mexican Legislation would most likely have stuffed that hole however I felt she’d be a improbable junior horse for Isabelle,” Tina stated.
“It’s troublesome as I have to earn more cash, and produce younger horses to promote, and age is catching up with me a bit! I get pleasure from producing the younger ones, horses and people. It was a little bit of a wake-up name once I wasn’t entered for Tokyo as I felt Billy would have been aggressive however when there are youthful individuals coming by way of – which there must be, you’d be anxious if there weren’t – you perhaps must step down gracefully, or attempt to be swish! It’s the top of an period and a wierd thought however I’ve had a 12 months to consider it and it might’t be all about me; I’ve acquired different individuals in my life. I really feel a bit older now and have picked up a couple of accidents, and perhaps it’s that type of time.”
Tina stated she is going to get pleasure from bringing on kids; she produced all her personal high rides to that stage, and perhaps “producing some which may be ok for Isabelle to signify her nation, as I’ve been fortunate sufficient to do”.
She added that it’s exhausting to pick actual highlights from her top-level profession that has included so many particular horses and successes.
“There was Music And Dance Man who took me from Pony Membership to the British crew in 1993; the Europeans in pouring rain, the place plenty of the highest combos fell aside however my little wiry thoroughbred jumped double clear and we received particular person silver. That was a really pivotal a part of my profession; my first time on a senior crew, at 22, and coming again with a silver, however so many horses have given me a lot.”
Tina additionally cited Normal Jock, who her mom Althea discovered as a four-year-old at Doncaster gross sales and with whom she received world crew gold in 1994 and particular person European bronze in 1997, and completed fifth at Badminton. And naturally the legendary Miners Frolic, who received double Olympic bronze in 2008 and crew silver 4 years later.
“I believed for a very long time I’d by no means get to an Olympics, as earlier than every Video games, one thing went mistaken,” Tina stated. “By then I’d had two kids and to go to an Olympics because the mom of two infants and get the outcomes appeared unrealistic. However to win particular person bronze and coming again better of the Brits – all of it occurred on the proper time. You simply maintain working away with these horses and hope you get it proper, and seize the second.”
Tina added that she could not have a five-star victory to her title, however “I’m not strolling away with any regrets”.
“That might have been the icing on the cake however I suppose I’ve achieved rather a lot, and now’s the time to provide one thing again,” she stated.
“You must develop up in some unspecified time in the future and I’ve had an excellent spin at this. The game’s given me a lot pleasure and I’ve beloved each minute of it.”
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: FEI
Credit score: AFP/Getty Pictures
We took a while to mirror with Tina about her double gold victory with Miners Frolic 10 years in the past.
Credit score: Future
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